System and method for automated authentication

Abstract

In example embodiments, a system and method for automated authentication are provided. A service provider system receives a message triggered by an application operating on a user device of a user. A contact identifier corresponding to the user device is determined from the message. A reply message that includes a token is transmitted to the contact identifier. A return token is received from the application that intercepted the reply message and extracted the token without user intervention. The return token is compared to the token sent in the reply message. Based on the return token matching the sent token, the contact identifier is verified as corresponding to the user device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a service provider system, a message triggered by an application operating on a user device of a user;   identifying a contact identifier corresponding to the user device from the message;   transmitting a reply message that includes a token to the contact identifier;   receiving a return token from the application that intercepted the reply message and extracted the token from the reply message without user intervention; and   verifying, using a hardware processor, that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, the verifying confirming that the contact identifier corresponds to the user device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving the message is via a SMS message. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving the return token from the application of the user device is via one of an SMS message, a web request, or an email from the user device 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message:
 determining whether an account exists for the user corresponding to the contact identifier; and   based on an account not existing, automatically creating an account for he user corresponding to the contact identifier.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, automatically logging in the user with the service provider system. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, providing access to functionality provided by the service provider system to the user device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, providing the contact identifier to the user device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identifying the contact identifier comprises extracting the contact identifier from at least one of a header or a body of the message. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , where the receiving of the message further comprises receiving the message at a service number provided to the application in response to a request prior to the receiving of the message. 
     
     
         10 . A tangible machine-readable medium in communication with at least one processor, the tangible machine-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, at a service provider system, a message triggered by an application operating on a user device of a user;   identifying a contact identifier corresponding to the user device from the message;   transmitting a reply message that includes a token to the contact identifier;   receiving a return token from the application that intercepted the reply message and extracted the token from the reply message without user intervention; and   verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, the verifying confirming that the contact identifier corresponds to the user device.   
     
     
         11 . The tangible machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message:
 determining whether an account exists for the user corresponding to the contact identifier; and   based on an account not existing, automatically creating an account for the user corresponding to the contact identifier.   
     
     
         12 . The tangible machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, automatically logging in the user for the service. 
     
     
         13 . The tangible machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, providing access to functionality provided by the service provider system to the user device. 
     
     
         14 . The tangible machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise, based on the verifying that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, providing the contact identifier to the user device. 
     
     
         15 . The tangible machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the identifying the contact identifier comprises extracting the contact identifier from at least one of a header or a body of the message. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a processor of a machine;   a communications module to receive, at a service provider system, a message triggered by an application operating on a user device of a user;   an identifier module to identify a contact identifier corresponding to the user device from the message, the communications module to transmits a reply message that includes a token to the contact identifier and to receive a return token from the application that intercepted the reply message and extracted the token from the reply message without user intervention; and   a verification module to verify that the return token matches the token sent in the reply message, the verifying confirming that the contact identifier corresponds to the user device.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising an account module to, based on the return token matching the token sent in the reply message:
 determine whether an account exists for the user corresponding to the contact identifier, and   based on an account not existing, automatically create an account for the user corresponding to the contact identifier.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising an account module to, based on the return token matching the token sent in the reply message, automatically log in the user for the service. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the communication module is further to, based on the return token matching the token sent in the reply message, provide the contact identifier to the user device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the identifier module identifies the contact identifier by extracting the contact identifier from at least one of a header or a body of the message.